‘Best day of my life’, ‘surreal and special’: Australian victories at Bells Beach mean more to local surfers | Kieran Pender

Isabella Nichols and Jack Robinson realised life-long dreams with their wins at the iconic Victorian surf spotEach of the 11 stops on the World Surf League regular season count for the same amount of points as the world’s best surfers vie to secure a spot in the year-end finals. But there is no doubting that the Bells Beach Rip Curl Pro, which wrapped up its 62nd edition over the weekend, has a unique place in surfing folklore. Winning the longest running event in competitive surfing and ringing its iconic bell trophy means more than most triumphs on the WSL circuit.“This is the best day of my life,” said Australia’s Isabella Nichols, minutes after defeating junior world champion Luana Silva in the women’s final on Sunday afternoon. Having clinched the victory in the water, Nichols surfed a gentle wave towards the shore – lifting her arms and ringing an imaginary bell as she went. Continue reading...

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